Improvement in dredging-machines



2 Shets-Sheej; 1.

R. R. osGoOn. Dredging-Machine. No. 196,378. 7 Patented 'Oct'. 23, I877.

z if I 7 Md, .1 9;

mi /Z7,

2 Shgets-Sheet 2..

R. R. OSGOOD. Dredging-Machine. No. 196,378. Patented Oct. '23, I877.

UNITED STATES RALPH It. OSGOOD, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DREDGlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,378, dated October 23, 1877, application filed August 25, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH R. OSGOOD, of Troy, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredging and Derrick Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure '1 is a perspective view, illustrating the essential elements of my improved machine as they appear when assembled for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the axis of the dipper-handle trrmnion, representing the location and arrangement of the clamping mechanism used in connection with said dipper-handle; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the dipper-handle with the clamping mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the improved machine the dipper being represented as elevated and ready to be swung around. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the turn-table and step, showing the relative location of the vertical and horizontal sheaves mormted thereon. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the turn-table and a portion of the boom,the maneuvering-chainsbeingbroken 01f, the boom swung part way around, or at an angle with the face of the machine, and the vertical or guide sheavesbeing omitted to better represent the lead of the chains.

Like letters in all the figures refer to corresponding parts.

My invention has relation to all manner of boommachines, particularly such as are used for dredging, excavating and derrick purposes its object being to simplify and lessen the cost of construction, and to increase the power and efficiency, as well as to add to the convenience and ease with which the general machine may be manipulated.

To accomplish all of this it (the invention) consists, first, in hinging or pivoting a boom to a turn-table, upon which are pivoted guide sheaves in such relative location as to make the maneuvering-chain lead fair -with the horizontal sheaves, no matter what position the boom may assume; second, in spreading the hoisting-chains, so as to make them operate also as swinging chains; third, in so 10- cating the horizontal sheaves upon the turntable that the bearing of the maneuveringchain will be changed from one to the other as the boom is swung out of line with the axis of the boat, platform, or foundation; fourth, in hinging the boom forward of the joint, between the turn-table and its step, to afford ample room for the sheaves upon the upper surface of said turn-table, and so that in case the hoisting-chain breaks the boom may fall without coming in contact with either the turn-table or the sheaves thereon; fifth, in connecting a stop-chain with the boom-chain or with the boom, so that said boom may be automatically arrested at any desired point; sixth, in an improved means of clamping the dipperhandle, and in certain other novel arrangements or combinations of parts, all of which will be first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

A in the drawings represents a boat for a dredge, or the floor of an excavator or derrick, and B is a strong step or bracket, firmly secured to some convenient part thereof. 0 is an annular groove in the upper part of the step, which receives and holds the flange D of the turn-table E. Suitable annular segments F are bolted to the step B, and project over the flange D, in such manner as to hold the latter in proper place, but to permit the desired motion of the turn-table.

This form of connection between the turntable and its step is advantageous, principally in affording an extended bearing between the two parts, whereby they are more firmly connected with each other, less liable to damage or derangement, and better adapted for supporting the loadupon the boom than are those forms wherein a central pivot is employed.

The boom G is pivoted or hinged upon the periphery of the turn-table, as at H, and is provided with one or more chain-sheaves, I I, at its outer end. A pair of links, J J, connected with the axle of sheaves I 1, serves as an attachment for the boom-chain K, which passes from said links through the sheave L, supported upon the A-frame M M, and thence to the moving power or chain-drum N. A

stop-chain, O, is shown as connected with the boom-chain, as at a, and to the flooring or platform, as at b.

It is obvious, however, that this chain may I convenient. manner+as, for i instance, it may 7 means ofthis StQp'-;Ql1tl1l, however at: g tached, the boom is automaticallyarrested at i I chain slackened up, as it willbe when the I dipper isbeing lowered in the case of a dredge i pleasure, in order to determine the point 7 at V which the boom shallbe arrested; Tlpon the V upperism faceoi the turn-table are mounted i the 1 two sets: of horizontal sheaves :P 1?" and;

I i h isting-e11- j Z chains are both wound upon the "same drum V N, or otherwise suitablyconnected'with: the same movingpower. :l/Yhen this drum is so V turned as to unwind the chains; both are let V p i V ofitog'ether, and the pointof-the boom begins i tof drop, and continues in; its: dowmvard move the hoisting and boom chains are leftriree to.

;bestillfurtherunwcimd. The dippgenioriloadb W continues to descend; until ;it reaches: its lowestgdesiredposition,or. untilithe drum is V in the direction of a tangent to the turn-table,

7 be otherwise: connected Ewith the boom in be attached to the boom itself, and to the A" irameor to thefloorin m i t e proper workingpoint Whenev r the boom-i 5 V or excavator, since the boomeha in and dipper *lchain are; connected with the same hoisting I V 5 drum or movingepower, as will appear 51161'611? Y after. Q

V l stop-chain is intended to so arranged V as th itmay be lengthened r shortened;

R it, and also the verticalsheaves S S The ment until arrestediby the stopfchain O,when

arrested. When the chains T and K are wound up sufficiently to raise the boom G with the load W, then the chain 0 becomes slack. In this movement the weight of the point of the boom and its load is changed from chain 0 to chain K, the former serving to support the weight when the boom is lowest, and the latter performing; a similar office when said boom is highest. The boom is thus operated automatically at the same time with the hoisting-chain.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the chains T T are separated by the sheaves P It, mounted upon the top of the turn-table.

When both chains are employed they may be wound up with equal rapidity until it is desired to turn the boom toward one side or the'other, when it will onlybe necessary to wind that chain most rapidly which is upon the side toward which the boom is to be inclined. The chain being carried outside of the periphery of the joint between the turntable and its step, it is obvious that, if one chain be wound more rapidly than the other, one component of the force exerted will act and will cause the same to turn about its vertical axis, carrying the boom with it. By the time that the chain leaves the sheave P, as at the left of Fig. 6, it exerts a corresponding draw upon the other,for'wl1ich p'urpos drumssuitably:arranged and geared in a p 37 manner notnecessarytobe'hereexplained. :;;The power to return the boomifroinoneside; i i i lfifi f fic fildingl y asit has been moved: 7 V r the 'force cxerted to return :i V r :froma consideration of Fig. 6; g g V TTipas's jfromtl lecliain drums I Eh? massed. slieavesBR, inside of :1 it, Z and. under the vcrtioal sheaves S St, (not shomi V i in Fig; 6,);tl1ence over I: I;,andare attachedto ithefldipperorlQadiWf [[i'fj' Taffy V j The boom-chain K andoneof the hoistingtheme? tangential force upon the turirtable through zthel medium of sheayel and this? will con? tinue to act untilthe boom is turned at right i i i has reached thispositicn itfcan' be: drawn no 7 To return the boom to its normal: position or to theiopposite side, it wigll only be ncces- I r i r i i Efarther bythe hoisting-chain, sothat there is; iverylittle:dangerofturningsaid boom too far. jg I sary'to slacltupon the:firstdrawnichain'and l s the more or since the mo're itis'tin'ned the zgtater'wmi be: the ta gent al component of 5 The same; general results: wouldbe ohtained V E I r 5 by mounting the isheave nearer together or I 1 farther 2 apart than indicated'in the drawings, f f Z audit is; not ijntendedthat the invention shall 7 r r be limited: to any particular size or location of 5 I a 7 hey are mounted up I 5 i Z said sheaves, so longas:

on the face of the tiu'nf-tabfe, an capable of p g r:

the functions assigned to the 11' r 7 Withthisrarrangemenitofchains m1 sheaves F I 1 in @connectionwit a boom, it will be observed 5 I I that: the handling-of: the load is: ,ceomplished 1 a i V i i starting the load from its lowest position upon one side of the machine, it may be easily and quickly carried in the most direct line to its final point of delivery, both as regards its ver- I :by attending to the hoisting-drumsonly, aiidf V V V V iresidting from aicon ipoimd ofallii -1 I hose whiclrmay be produced throughthe rue-:7 7;; fdiumoi'. the hoistingehjains are peculiarly ad; 7 a r i yantageous in theclass of machines to which the improvements relate For instance, in

such as not to interfere with the simultaneous movements of chains T T, which might occur in case it were not desirable to elevate said boom.

The use of the double chains T T is desirable, though not essential, for all purposes of the invention. They may, if both are used, be made much lighter than the ordinary single chain, and therefore more wieldy, while at the same time they are less liable to break. In case a single chain be used, the boom is operated in the same manner, (as is also the dipper,) with the exception of the particularmeans employed for swinging from side to side. Any desirable attachments may be made to accomplish this movement but the horizontal sheaves are brought closer together, and in such relative position with respect to the vertical sheaves that the single chain shall lead fair upon either,

no matter what the position of the boom.

It should be understood that, although it is suggested that the chain K and a hoistingchain should be wound upon the same drum,

in order to accomplish the simultaneous movement of the dipper-handle and the boom, this statement should not be construed literally, for it is obvious that two separate drums may be mounted upon the same shaft; or, if upon different shafts, they might be made to move at the same rate by being suitably connected with each other, or with the turning-power. The object to be accomplished is the simultaneous movement of the two elements, (dipperhandle and boom,) and for the sake of explaining the principle of the invention, the means chosen to accomplish the desired result are those which are regarded as simplest and best.

The dipper-handle Y is moinited in an oscillating trunnion, (I, supported in suitable trunnion-beds upon the boom G, and it is arrested at any desired point by friction applied thereto for the same objects as in my patent of March 9, 1875, No. 162,849.

The dipper-handle is, in the present instance, provided with the plates 0 6, one upon each side, extending nearly the length of said handle, and separated from the material thereof by an unobstructed opening. Two gibs, f f, are inserted between said plates 0 c and the dipper-handle, being held within the trunnionblock by slight projections f f, Fig. 3, abutting against the wallsthereof.

The dipper-handle, straps, and gibs are all forced toward one side of the trimnionblock by means of the plate 9, operated upon by the lever h through the mediinn of the bar 6. The bar i is contained within a cap, j, to which the lever is pivoted, and the trunnion-block revolves independently of the cap, so that the lever may always remain in position for use.

The friction required to hold the dipperhandle against the working strain is, of course, equal to that strain, and to exert the required pressure upon the handle so much force is sometimes needed as to compress the material of said handle, especially if the same be made of light wood. By increasing the number of friction-surfaces, as is done in the present instance, the amount of friction to be derived from a given pressure is increased proportionally, and therefore a lighter application of force may be madeto accomplish the required results. This increase in the mnnber of independent friction-surfaces is to be distinguished from a mere enlargement of one surface, which would afford no additional friction from the application of a given pressure.

Following the principles of this portion of the invention, the number of surfaces maybe increased at pleasure.

The lever h is ordinarily operated by means of suitably-arranged gearing or attachments as, for instance, something equivalent to devices shown in my before-mentioned patent.

Aside from the uses of the straps, or their equivalent bands or rods, as above indicated, they are advantageous in afiording a stiffening or strengthening medium for the dipperhandle, and serve, also, to receive a portion of the necessary friction outside of and independent of the material of the handle, for

which purpose they are slightly removed from said handle, as above explained. Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a horizontal sheave aXled upon the turn-table of a boom-machine,

a vertical guide-sheave supported upon saidturn-table in position to cause the hoistingchain to lead fair with the first-named sheave, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A turn-table with one or .more vertical guidesheaves and twoor more horizontal guide-sheaves, in combination with a hinged or pivoted boom and the hoisting chain or chain's, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a turn-table having a hinged boom applied thereto, the two horizontal guide-sheaves, adapted to spread the hoisting-chains, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In combination with a hoisting-chain of a machine of the character herein indicated. two or more horizontal guide-sheaves arranged with respect to each other upon the turn-table, substantially as described, so that the chain shall shift its hearing from one sheave to the other as the boom is swung around, substantially as and for the purposes explained.

5. The combination, as before set forth, of a hingedboom,aboom-chain,andahoisting-chain adapted to be wound or unwound equally by the application of the same motive power, and a stop-chain arranged to automatically arrest the downward motion of said boom, substantially as and for the purposes explained.

6. In a machine of the character herein specified, a turn-table bearing a series of guiding-sheaves and having a boom hinged at its periphery, the said turn-table being connected with its step or bracket by a loose joint, also at its periphery, the several parts being arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In combination with a turn-table for a dredging or derrick machine having an annular flange, a step or bracket provided with an annular socket adapted to receive said flange, the two parts being connected by means of segments bolted to the step, substantially as shown and described.

8. In combination with a dipper-handle of a machine of the character herein alluded-to, one or more straps, bands, or rods attached to said handle at points near the ends thereof, and le. ving a free space between such straps, bands, or rods and the handle, for the objects named.

9. In combination with the dipper-handle of a machine of the character herein alluded to, one or more straps, bands, or rods passing between adjustable friction-surfaces, for the purposes set forth. V

10. In combination with a dipper-handle mounted in a trunnion and provided with one or more straps, a movable gib located between the handle and such strap, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination of a dipper handle provided with suitable straps, a trunnion can rying the gibs and the adjustable plate, and a movable lever attached to'said trunnion, for the purpose of regulating the amount of friction to be applied, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereuntoset my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses RALPH R. OSGOOD.

GEO. F. GRAHAM, CHAs. R. SEARLE. 

